University of California, Santa Barbara
(UCSB)
Part of University of California System
About
The University of California, Santa Barbara is a public land-grant research university in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Tracing its roots back to 1891 as an independent teachers college, UC Santa Barbara joined the University of California system in 1944. It is the third-oldest campus in the system, after Berkeley and UCLA.
Ranked Top 100 worldwide across 4 major ranking systems
Ranked in 104 subject rankings
Ranking Overview
QS
THE
ARWU
US News
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Key Facts
Historical Trend
QS
THE
ARWU
US News
Top Subjects
Subject Rankings
US News
20 subjects|
Subject
|
Rank
|
Score
|
Year
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Optics | 13 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Physics | 18 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Space Science | 39 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Environment/Ecology | 55 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Geosciences | =55 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences | 86 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Chemistry | 96 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Materials Science | 105 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Condensed Matter Physics | 132 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Polymer Science | 148 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Psychiatry/Psychology | =156 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Social Sciences and Public Health | =160 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Computer Science | =164 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Plant and Animal Science | =173 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Nanoscience and Nanotechnology | =199 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Economics and Business | 239 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Mathematics | =285 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Engineering | 310 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Biology and Biochemistry | =313 | 71.6 | 2026 |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | =342 | 71.6 | 2026 |
ARWU
39 subjectsQS
37 subjectsTHE
8 subjects|
Subject
|
Rank
|
Score
|
Year
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Sciences | 33 | 78.7 | 2026 |
| Engineering & Technology | 55 | 72.1 | 2026 |
| Computer Science | 58 | 71.0 | 2026 |
| Arts & Humanities | =74 | 56.3 | 2026 |
| Social Sciences | 79 | 60.3 | 2026 |
| Psychology | =84 | 60.1 | 2026 |
| Education | 88 | 56.9 | 2026 |
| Life Sciences | 126–150 | 57.0 | 2026 |